Guinness Pro14 Season 2018-2019

Squidgy Black

He'll be chasing the money train so more than likely France.

irishbucsfan

Squidgy Black wrote: »

He'll be chasing the money train so more than likely France.

If he's made a cap-exempt player in England he could well get a better offer from one of them, very easily

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/willgkelleher/status/1062122744924520449?s=19

Eod100

Burkie1203 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/willgkelleher/status/1062122744924520449?s=19

Must be a fair bit of money in Exeter

phog

From Twitter

Murray Kinsella
‏


@Murray_Kinsella
53m53 minutes ago

The Dragons have removed Hendre Marnitz from his position as defence coach at the club.

Defence has been very leaky this season, something had to change. #PRO14

Clegg

BBC is reporting that Huw Jones is considering an offer from Leicester. That's awful for Glasgow and the league. Russell is already gone, Hogg is confirmed as leaving in the summer and now this. The league needs it's marquee players.

Burkie1203

Clegg wrote: »

BBC is reporting that Huw Jones is considering an offer from Leicester. That's awful for Glasgow and the league. Russell is already gone, Hogg is confirmed as leaving in the summer and now this. The league needs it's marquee players.

Jones turned down an offer of ~€275k

Saw one tweet saw Tigers offered him ~€425k

Tigerandahalf

The sooner we have a British/Irish league the better.

Dog Botherer

Clegg wrote: »

BBC is reporting that Huw Jones is considering an offer from Leicester. That's awful for Glasgow and the league. Russell is already gone, Hogg is confirmed as leaving in the summer and now this. The league needs it's marquee players.

It’s also an awful signing for Jones and Leicester. He’d be competing with Tuilagi and Eastmond for the 13 jersey, and Leicester’s backline is already stacked. They’ve got the likes of Toomua, Ford, Youngs, May, Tait and Veainu already on the books, as well as the above pair. Their pack on the other hand is actually listed in the dictionary under “powderpuff”.

Bizarre move.

sydthebeat

Toomua is returning to Australia at the end of the season

Rigor Mortis

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

The sooner we have a British/Irish league the better.

The imminent sale of a chunk of the Premiership makes that even less likely to happen.

molloyjh

Rigor Mortis wrote: »

The imminent sale of a chunk of the Premiership makes that even less likely to happen.

It will never happen. I’ve no idea why people still think it’s a runner. It isn’t. The English sides would ultimately be subsidising the Celtic teams. Why would they ever do that?

Former Former

molloyjh wrote: »

It will never happen. I’ve no idea why people still think it’s a runner. It isn’t. The English sides would ultimately be subsidising the Celtic teams. Why would they ever do that?

While it would have attractions at the top end, getting in the likes of Leinster, Munster and Glasgow with their big crowds and top players, the likes of Bristol, Sale and Worcester would find themselves in Division 2 playing the Dragons.

Why would they sign up for that?

awec

Also the English sides would quite rightly never accept it while the Irish teams are union owned.

Tigerandahalf

awec wrote: »

Also the English sides would quite rightly never accept it while the Irish teams are union owned.

It might be only a matter of time before the rfu buy up clubs or take stakes to support the national team. Would the rfu be happy for 4 or 5 clubs in England to break away and join a British/Irish league with the rfu having a controlling stake in the English clubs.

Effectively you would then have a union controlled competition. The international games still seem to be the big cash kings.

troyzer

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

It might be only a matter of time before the rfu buy up clubs or take stakes to support the national team. Would the rfu be happy for 4 or 5 clubs in England to break away and join a British/Irish league with the rfu having a controlling stake in the English clubs.

Effectively you would then have a union controlled competition. The international games still seem to be the big cash kings.

No way that would happen. The RFU are bankrupt as it is. Even if they did manage to buy some teams or set up new ones, they wouldn't be able to compete with salaries in the premiership.

Rigor Mortis

Yep, the RFU is in a bad bad place.

Hard to see how they have allowed this to happen.

molloyjh

troyzer wrote: »

No way that would happen. The RFU are bankrupt as it is. Even if they did manage to buy some teams or set up new ones, they wouldn't be able to compete with salaries in the premiership.

While I don't see it happening, the RFU are the ultimate authority for rugby in England. All of those privately owned teams are operating in England with the RFUs permission. They could, in theory, revoke that permission if they so wished. Obviously there are a whole host of real world reasons why they couldn't just up and do that, but they could start taking steps towards more centralisation if they wished. They are the governing body after all. It may not always seem like it, but at the end of the day they are in charge.

troyzer

molloyjh wrote: »

While I don't see it happening, the RFU are the ultimate authority for rugby in England. All of those privately owned teams are operating in England with the RFUs permission. They could, in theory, revoke that permission if they so wished. Obviously there are a whole host of real world reasons why they couldn't just up and do that, but they could start taking steps towards more centralisation if they wished. They are the governing body after all. It may not always seem like it, but at the end of the day they are in charge.

If they revoked permission, you'd just have a new rugby league level schism.

molloyjh

troyzer wrote: »

If they revoked permission, you'd just have a new rugby league level schism.

Well in fairness I did say I don't think it will happen. I was just making the point that they are the ultimate authority for the game in England and have more power than people seem to consider. They could definitely start to make moves towards more centralisation if they really wanted to, in a slow and steady kind of way obviously. Any split would require the PRL to set up an entirely new sport, one that wouldn't have access to Europe or pathways for players into the international game. Again I don't see it happening any time soon, but the RFU have the authority to do it.

Tigerandahalf

If you look at the breakaway rugby experiment in Perth the magnate behind it hasn't gone solo. He still has World Rugby involved. Not easy to break away unless you own your own grounds.

If you were Leicester, Saracens, Bath, Gloucester or Northampton what options are best for them going forward - do they stay where they are or push for a different league where the best English players would be fed into their academies. They might be happy to sacrifice Worcester, Bristol, Newcastle, etc.

Paul Kitson in the Guardian suggested back in April that you could have a 2 conference or 2 division league. I am not sure what majority would be needed within Premiership rugby for clubs to break away.

The problem for any league (and its attractiveness to sponsors and tv) is that it is superceded by the bigger international fixtures.

The biggest question in the long term is whether internationals can provide enough income especially when the global showpiece the world cup is only held every 4 years.

Bazzo

Bernard Jackman banned for 2 weeks for comments about Ian Davies.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46324758

Bazzo

Bazzo wrote: »

Bernard Jackman banned for 2 weeks for comments about Ian Davies.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46324758

He could be very close to getting sacked. Bottom of both conferences - already 30 points behind Leinster.

CatFromHue

Is Jackman still on Against The Head?

He's on 2FM's Game On regularly enough as a rugby opinion person.

I find it a bit uncomfortable tbh, I wouldn't be too keen if Leo was doing it.

Zzippy

CatFromHue wrote: »

Is Jackman still on Against The Head?

He's on 2FM's Game On regularly enough as a rugby opinion person.

I find it a bit uncomfortable tbh, I wouldn't be too keen if Leo was doing it.

Leo is probably earning 3-4 times more than Jackman. He probably gets as much from media work as he does from Dragons.

troyzer

Zzippy wrote: »

CatFromHue wrote: »

Is Jackman still on Against The Head?

He's on 2FM's Game On regularly enough as a rugby opinion person.

I find it a bit uncomfortable tbh, I wouldn't be too keen if Leo was doing it.

Leo is probably earning 3-4 times more than Jackman. He probably gets as much from media work as he does from Dragons.

Do the rest of the Welsh or Scottish coaches do media on the side? We're probably just most exposed to Jackman because he does Irish media but they might all be at it.

Squidgy Black

troyzer wrote: »

Do the rest of the Welsh or Scottish coaches do media on the side? We're probably just most exposed to Jackman because he does Irish media but they might all be at it.

Not really, certainly not to the extent Jackman does.

troyzer

Squidgy Black wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

Do the rest of the Welsh or Scottish coaches do media on the side? We're probably just most exposed to Jackman because he does Irish media but they might all be at it.

Not really, certainly not to the extent Jackman does.

Fair enough, he does seem to be on the box a lot. His days are numbered at Dragons anyway.

Leinster C absolutely annihilating Ospreys A.5/B is really bad for the league. And I say that as a Leinster fan.

Bridge93

Ospreys were missing 17 players from what I heard last night?

Squidgy Black

Bridge93 wrote: »

Ospreys were missing 17 players from what I heard last night?

They were missing some of their star players, but still had regular starters in there like James Hook, Sam Davies, Cory Allen, Sam Cross, James King who'd all started in the game against Scarlets.

sydthebeat

Squidgy Black wrote: »

They were missing some of their star players, but still had regular starters in there like James Hook, Sam Davies, Cory Allen, Sam Cross, James King who'd all started in the game against Scarlets.

Dirkson and habberfield would be considered senior players as well

Burkie1203

Cheetahs 21-25 Benetton

McKinley just scored a try. 10 to go

Burkie1203

28-25 to cheetahs now

Burkie1203

Hallam Amos, Scott Baldwin, Josh Adams and Staff Evans all rumoured to be joining Cardiff Blues next season

Burkie1203

Rob Penney has changed his mind on Scarlets and is staying in Japan.

Scarlets going after David Wessels now

connemara man

Dragons beating Edinburgh 18-12

Decent game.

connemara man

connemara man wrote: »

Dragons beating Edinburgh 18-12

Decent game.

Finished that way

After 25 phases Edinburgh coughed up the ball on the dragons line going for the win

Former Former

That's a great result for Ulster

connachta

Former Former wrote: »

That's a great result for Ulster

And for Connacht in the 7th European spot perspective.

Burkie1203

connachta wrote: »

And for Connacht in the 7th European spot perspective.

Connacht have to start thinking about making the pro14 playoffs as a realistic target

ClanofLams

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Connacht have to start thinking about making the pro14 playoffs as a realistic target

That’s been the stated aim all season.

connachta

ClanofLams wrote: »

That’s been the stated aim all season.

I was expecting that backlash. 7th is a more realistic target, and qualifying for "Big European Cup" would be the main acheivement anyway.
An away unwinnable play-off would just be sherry on the cake.

Burkie1203

connachta wrote: »

I was expecting that backlash. 7th is a more realistic target, and qualifying for "Big European Cup" would be the main acheivement anyway.
An away unwinnable play-off would just be sherry on the cake.

Third in the conference and with plenty of winnable fixtures to come. Realistically Connacht are very capable of finishing there. Considering anything less as a realistic target is loser talk

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/SDM_Robertson/status/1066819504712355843?s=19

ClanofLams

connachta wrote: »

I was expecting that backlash. 7th is a more realistic target, and qualifying for "Big European Cup" would be the main acheivement anyway.
An away unwinnable play-off would just be sherry on the cake.

3rd is plenty realistic.

Ulster, whom Connacht beat away only a month ago (albeit for the first time in almost 60 years) have a reasonable chance of coming 2nd in the other pool, hardly unwinnable.

Even if it is Scarlets, it's still not unwinnable, one off game, anything can happen. Of course the home team will be favourites.

Whilst we're on it 2nd isn't out of reach for Connacht either. Munster have actually been fairly unimpressive in the Pro14 this season. They've beaten Cheetahs twice, Ospreys Ulster and Zebre, with the latter three all having pretty much second strings out. They were well beaten over in Glasgow and Cardiff though. They're naturally favourites to come 2nd but I don't think it's a foregone conclusion.

troyzer

I'd love to see Connacht finish the year strongly. Obviously I'm biased but I think Leinster are turning the competition into a bit of a one man show. The real intrigue is that bubble of teams below Leinster, Munster, Scarlets and Warriors who are fighting for playoff spots.

The Lost Sheep

troyzer wrote: »

I'd love to see Connacht finish the year strongly. Obviously I'm biased but I think Leinster are turning the competition into a bit of a one man show. The real intrigue is that bubble of teams below Leinster, Munster, Scarlets and Warriors who are fighting for playoff spots.

Leinster are not at all turning competition into a one man show. Theyre going to be in playoffs and likely be in final but please stop. Theyre not that far ahead.

razorblunt

For anyone debating about going to the Pro14 Final or looking for tickets as an Xmas Present.
Use the code CYBERMONDAY for half price tickets today:

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/scottishrugby/EDP/Event/Index/2580

thomond2006

razorblunt wrote: »

For anyone debating about going to the Pro14 Final or looking for tickets as an Xmas Present.
Use the code CYBERMONDAY for half price tickets today:

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/scottishrugby/EDP/Event/Index/2580

Thanks for the link.

I'm thinking of grabbing a few and I can always resell (at face value I paid!!!) toutless etc if I don't travel.

What's strange is the likes of skyscamner don't show flights from Dublin to Scotland. Brexit related I assume?

troyzer

thomond2006 wrote: »

Thanks for the link.

I'm thinking of grabbing a few and I can always resell (at face value I paid!!!) toutless etc if I don't travel.

You wouldn't need toutless. They're setting up a resale website.